Let’s Talk Well Update: Townsend House Plan

Let’s Talk Well (formerly TIC+) is a UK-registered mental health charity dedicated to supporting children and young people. For over 30 years, we’ve been rooted in the Forest of Dean, working alongside families, schools, and communities to provide free counselling to young people aged 9-25, training counsellors, and support parents and families of young people with mental health challenges.

Townsend House, which has stood empty for several years, offers a wonderful opportunity to create a welcoming base for our charity—a place where we can continue to grow and serve even more children and young people across Gloucestershire. We bid for this building with the intention to use it as our head office and more.

Our vision for Townsend House is simple: to provide a hub for professional counselling, training, and support services that benefit young people and families throughout the county. This new base will help us strengthen our work and expand our reach, ensuring that more young people get the help they need, when they need it.

We know that change can raise questions, and we want to be clear about what this means:

A quiet, professional space – Most of our support to the 4,000+ children we see each year happens in schools, community venues and online, so only a handful of young people will visit the offices each week.

No residential use – Townsend House will not be used for accommodation. It will be an office and training space only.

Parking and traffic – We understand concerns. Townsend House has its own parking spaces, and we’ve commissioned a traffic survey to ensure our plans are appropriate. If additional spaces are needed, we’re exploring options for leasing these elsewhere.

Local employment – We’re proud that 25% of our current team of 130 staff live in the Forest of Dean. We’re committed to remaining a local employer and creating further employment opportunities as we grow.

Transparency in all we do – Our accounts are published annually with the Charity Commission and are available for anyone to view.

Claire Power-Browne said: “We’re excited about the potential of Townsend House and grateful for the warm engagement from the Town Council. This is an important step for us, and we look forward to continuing conversations with the community as our plans progress. Together, we can create a space that supports young people and strengthens local opportunities.”

We hope Townsend House will become a place the community feels proud of—a space that reflects a shared commitment to supporting young people through life’s challenges and building a brighter future.